Faucet shield system

ABSTRACT

A faucet shield includes a semi-rigid panel having an opening disposed therewithin and defined by an upper section and a lower section. The lower section attaches and conforms to a plumbing fixture and the opening fits around a faucet of the plumbing fixture, thereby shielding an area about the faucet. In some embodiments, the faucet shield attaches to a sink faucet to prevent water from being splashed onto nearby countertops, walls, floors, etc.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/340,851 filed May 11, 2022, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of plumbing fixture accessories of existing art and more specifically relates to a shield for a plumbing fixture faucet.

RELATED ART

Countertops are typically installed in kitchens and bathrooms not only for practical use as a worktop, but also to decorate the room and provide a pleasing appearance thereto. In kitchens and bathrooms, sinks are often built into the countertop and therefore are surrounded by the countertop. As such, a common problem in kitchens and bathrooms is that water is easily splashed onto the countertop from the sink faucet. As careful as an individual is, this is often inevitable.

In some circumstances, due to the location of the sink, it may be difficult to reach or even see the pooled water, meaning it sits there for a prolonged period of time. This can lead to permanent damage to the countertops, such as mold growth or discoloration. This is particularly true with porous countertops such as those made from marble or granite. As such, the decorative quality of the countertop is diminished. Further, it is common for pooled water on the countertop to drip onto the floor, creating a possible tripping hazard for individuals passing by the sink. Thus, a need exists for a reliable solution to avoid the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known plumbing fixture shield art, the present disclosure provides a novel faucet shield. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a device that attaches around a faucet (e.g., a sink faucet) and shields the area located behind and to the sides of the faucet (e.g., countertop, walls, flooring, etc.) from water being splashed thereon.

A shield for shielding an area around a faucet is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the shield may include a semi-rigid panel having an upper section, a lower section, a left side and a right side relative to the faucet and an opening disposed within the semi-rigid panel configured to receive the faucet therethrough. The lower section may be configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of a plumbing fixture to which the faucet is attached. The upper section may extend vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture when the lower section is attached thereto, thereby shielding an area behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture from water splashed from the faucet.

According to another embodiment, a shield for shielding an area around a faucet may include a planar, silicone panel having an upper half, a lower half, a left side and a right side relative to the faucet and an opening disposed at a center of the silicone panel configured to receive the faucet therethrough. The lower half may be configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of a plumbing fixture to which the faucet is attached. The upper half may extend vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture when the lower half is attached thereto, thereby shielding an area behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture from water splashed from the faucet.

According to another embodiment, a shield for shielding an area around a faucet may include a rectangular silicone panel having an upper half, a lower half, a left side and a right side relative to the faucet and an opening disposed at a center of the silicone panel configured to receive the faucet therethrough. A peripheral edge of the opening may include self-healing properties, enabling the opening to surround the faucet once received through the opening. The lower half may be configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of a plumbing fixture to which the faucet is attached. The upper half may extend vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture when the lower half is attached thereto, thereby shielding an area behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture from water splashed from the faucet.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments for the present disclosure, faucet shield, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a shield for shielding an area around a faucet, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the shield, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the shield being attached to a plumbing fixture and over the faucet thereof, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the shield attached to the plumbing fixture and over the faucet thereof, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the shield attached to the plumbing fixture and over the faucet thereof, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to plumbing fixture accessories and more particularly to a faucet shield. Generally, the faucet shield attaches about a plumbing fixture faucet to prevent water from being splashed onto nearby areas. Particularly, the plumbing fixture may be a sink. As such, the faucet shield may protect countertops, floors and walls behind kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, laundry room sinks, etc. Further, the faucet shield may be used with restaurant kitchen sinks to protect food preparation areas from contaminants.

In some embodiments, the shield may include a rectangular semi-rigid silicone panel with a self-healing opening in a center thereof to enable accurate fitting of any faucet style. The opening may attach over the faucet and the semi-rigid silicone sheet may mold to the sink and extend above the sink to prevent the water from reaching the surrounding countertop. The faucet shield system may preferably be provided in a variety of sizes.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5 , various views of a shield for shielding an area around a faucet (“shield” 100).

As shown in FIGS. 1-3 , the shield 100 may include a panel 110 including an upper section 111, a lower section 112, a left side 113 and a right side 114 relative to the faucet 5 and an opening 115 disposed within the panel 110 configured to receive the faucet 5 therethrough. In some embodiments, the upper section 111 and the lower section 112 may be equal in size and shape and as such may define two halves of the panel 110.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1-2 , the panel 110 may be rectangular in shape when in a relaxed position (i.e., when not conforming to or attached to the plumbing fixture 6) and substantially planar. Further, as shown in FIG. 1 , the opening 115 may in some embodiments be located at a center of the panel 110 and may include an oblong or rounded rectangular shape, with a length of the opening 115 oriented parallel to a length of the panel 110. This may enable the opening 115 to receive the faucet 5 and, in some embodiments, handles of the faucet 5 also. It should however be appreciated that the panel 110 and the opening 115 are not limited to these shapes or configurations.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5 , the shield 100 may be particularly used for shielding the sides and rear of a plumbing fixture 6 to which the faucet 5 is attached. More specifically, as discussed above and as shown in these figures, the plumbing fixture 6 may be a sink. As such, when a user uses the faucet 5, water is prevented from pooling on a countertop 10 (or other surface surrounding the sink). As particularly shown in FIGS. 4-5 , the lower section 112 may be configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of the plumbing fixture 6. The upper section 111 may extend vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture 6 when the lower section 112 is attached thereto, thereby shielding the area (again such as a countertop 10) behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture 6 from water splashed from the faucet 5.

To conformingly attach to the plumbing fixture 6, the panel 110 may be of semi-rigid construction, having enough pliability to allow the panel 110 to conform to the plumbing fixture 6 (for example, to conform to a curvature of a rounded sink) to completely shield 100 the area behind the sides and rear of the panel 110, whilst having enough rigidity to allow the panel 110 to support itself adequately, preventing the upper section 111 from bending or warping under its own weight. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the panel 110 may be constructed from a silicone material.

As above, the opening 115 in the panel 110 may be configured to receive the faucet 5 therethrough, facilitating the attachment of the panel 110 to the plumbing fixture 6. In some embodiments, the opening 115 may be a ‘self-healing’ opening 115. Particularly, in some embodiments, a peripheral edge of the opening 115 may include one or more self-healing materials configured to conform to the faucet 5 (and in some embodiments, handles of the faucet 5). For example, the self-healing material may include polymers, elastomers, or the like. In this embodiment, once the opening 115 is attached over the faucet 5 (or the faucet 5 is inserted through the opening 115), the opening 115 may close around the faucet 5, creating a snug fit therearound. This may enable the shield 100 to be used with faucets 5 of a variety of sizes and styles. It should however be appreciated that the means of fastening the panel 110 to the plumbing fixture 6 is not limited to the self-healing properties of the opening 115.

Further, to aid in the universal use of the shield 100, the shield 100 may be provided in a variety of sizes. For example, the shield 100 may be provided in a small, medium and large size. As such, the shield 100 may be used with differently sized plumbing fixtures 6. For example, a small shield may be used for a bathroom sink; and a large shield may be used for a kitchen sink.

In use, a user may attach the shield 100 to the faucet 5 by placing the opening 115 over the faucet 5 and inserting the faucet 5 (and in some embodiments, handles of the faucet 5) therethrough. The lower section 112 may conformingly attach to the interior sides and rear of the plumbing fixture 6 and the opening 115 may surround the faucet 5. Particularly, in some embodiments, the opening 115 may ‘self-heal’ to conform to the faucet 5, thereby closing any gap left between the opening 115 and the faucet 5. The upper section 111 of the panel 110 may then shield the area behind and to the sides of the faucet 5 from water splashed from the faucet 5.

It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods are taught herein.

It should be understood by one of skill in the art that the disclosed invention is described here in a few exemplary embodiments of many. No particular terminology or description should be considered limiting on the disclosure or the scope of any claims issuing therefrom.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the relevant patent offices and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shield for shielding an area around a faucet, the shield comprising: a semi-rigid panel including an upper section, a lower section, a left side and a right side relative to the faucet and an opening disposed within the semi-rigid panel configured to receive the faucet therethrough; wherein the lower section is configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of a plumbing fixture to which the faucet is attached; and wherein the upper section extends vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture when the lower section is attached thereto, thereby shielding an area behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture from water splashed from the faucet.
 2. The shield of claim 1, wherein the semi-rigid panel is rectangular in shape when in a relaxed position.
 3. The shield of claim 2, wherein the semi-rigid panel includes a silicone material.
 4. The shield of claim 3, wherein a peripheral edge of the opening includes self-healing properties, enabling the opening to surround the faucet once received through the opening.
 5. The shield of claim 4, wherein the semi-rigid panel is substantially planar.
 6. The shield of claim 5, wherein the upper section and the lower section define two halves of the semi-rigid panel.
 7. The shield of claim 6, wherein the opening is disposed at a center of the semi-rigid panel.
 8. The shield of claim 7, wherein the opening is oblong, and wherein a length of the opening is oriented parallel to a length of the semi-rigid panel.
 9. A shield for shielding an area around a faucet, the shield comprising: a planar, silicone panel including an upper half, a lower half, a left side and a right side relative to the faucet and an opening disposed at a center of the silicone panel configured to receive the faucet therethrough; wherein the lower half is configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of a plumbing fixture to which the faucet is attached; and wherein the upper half extends vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture when the lower half is attached thereto, thereby shielding an area behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture from water splashed from the faucet.
 10. The shield of claim 9, wherein the silicone panel is rectangular in shape when in a relaxed position.
 11. The shield of claim 10, wherein a peripheral edge of the opening includes self-healing properties, enabling the opening to surround the faucet once received through the opening.
 12. The shield of claim 11, wherein the opening is oblong, and wherein a length of the opening is oriented parallel to a length of the silicone panel.
 13. The shield of claim 12, wherein the silicone panel is semi-rigid in construction.
 14. A shield for shielding an area around a faucet, the shield comprising: a rectangular silicone panel including an upper half, a lower half, a left side and a right side relative to the faucet and an opening disposed at a center of the silicone panel configured to receive the faucet therethrough, a peripheral edge of the opening including self-healing properties, enabling the opening to surround the faucet once received through the opening; wherein the lower half is configured to conformingly attach to interior sides and rear of a plumbing fixture to which the faucet is attached; and wherein the upper half extends vertically and upwardly from the plumbing fixture when the lower half is attached thereto, thereby shielding an area behind the sides and rear of the plumbing fixture from water splashed from the faucet.
 15. The shield of claim 14, wherein the opening is oblong, and wherein a length of the opening is oriented parallel to a length of the silicone panel.
 16. The shield of claim 15, wherein the silicone panel is semi-rigid in construction. 